Much Ado About Dogs

13/05/2026

A surprising number training problems are not really training problems.

They are lifestyle problems.

Poor sleep. Too much stimulation. Inconsistent routines. Lack of fulfilment. Confusing communication inside the home.

These things shape behaviour far more than most people realise.

I was reminded of that recently after chatting to somebody in the park who was convinced their dog was “stubborn” and “just not listening anymore.”

A few small changes around rest, structure, and engagement made a much bigger difference than they expected.

So this month’s Dog House blog looks at 10 questions worth asking yourself before blaming the dog, the breed, or the training itself.

Including:
• Why crates and x-pens can be hugely valuable
• Why many dogs are actually overtired
• The difference between management and training
• Why consistency inside the home matters so much
• How fulfilment and breed instincts influence behaviour
• Why progress should be judged by trajectory, not perfection

Sometimes improving behaviour starts long before the lead goes on.

Before you assume that the training isn't working, ask yourself these 10 questions first.

04/05/2026

You see it every year.
Same walk, same time, same routine… even when the mercury tops 25C.

And to be fair, I get it.
“I’ve got to get to work.”�
“He won’t go in the garden.”�
“He needs to get out.”
All fair enough.

But the dog doesn’t know any of that , they just feel the heat on their fur and their paws.
They tire quicker. They recover slower. What would normally be fine suddenly isn’t.

That’s the bit that matters.

On days like that, it’s on us to adjust.
Short walks are fine.
Even if it’s just out to toilet and back.
Not ideal, but it’s not the end of the world either.

Dogs get used to routines, but they don’t need to be followed blindly. A missed walk or a change in timing isn’t going to harm them.

What can cause problems is sticking to the usual plan when the conditions have changed.

Hot weather isn’t the time to be rigid.
It’s the time to step up and do the smart thing.

Dogs don’t get to choose the conditions they’re exposed to.
We do.

P.S. I am fully aware that by writing this I have likely doomed us to a cool, wet summer!

25/04/2026

Another quiet moment in front of the TV ruined by the hound gestapo!

25/04/2026

21/04/2026

Most dogs are used to food just appearing. Bowl goes down, they eat it, job done. There's nothing wrong with that, but it can also be a missed opportunity.

If you take some of that food and feed the dog from your hand, even just part of a meal, you may start to see an important shift.

The dog pays more attention.
Engagement improves.
Drive increases.
Food stops being something that just turns up and starts being something that comes through you. Which, in turn, increase your value to the dog.

You can also ask for small bits of behaviour before they get it. Nothing complicated, maybe some obedience, a bit of focus or even a pause.

They start to work for it.

It’s quite common to do this with puppies, but it’s not just for them. It can work really well with older dogs too. Sometimes it just takes them a little while to adjust because the picture you’re presenting them has changed.

It’s not about getting rid of the bowl or turning everything into a training session. Just a small shift that can help make everything else a bit easier.

Photo by Kacper Chrzanowski

13/04/2026

You may have seen headlines recently claiming that 67 dog breeds could be banned in the UK.

It sounds dramatic. And it’s not quite true.

But it’s also not coming from nowhere.

There are two separate conversations happening at the moment:

Dog behaviour and public safety
Dog health and welfare

And they’re starting to get blurred together.

In the blog, I break down:

Where the “67 breeds” claim actually comes from
What’s changed with the XL Bully legislation
Why defining dogs by “type” rather than breed creates real problems
And why focusing on how a dog looks often misses the point entirely

Because in the end, behaviour isn’t built on appearance. It’s built on training, structure, and ownership.

If you’ve got a dog, or you’re thinking about getting one, it’s worth understanding where this is heading.

👉 https://www.muchadoaboutdogs.com/post/67-breeds-banned-not-quite-but-something-important-is-happening

07/04/2026

I got asked a good question the other day.

I was out with Kasta, doing a bit of retrieving and mixing in some obedience, and someone asked how long it had taken to get him to that level.

I said something along the lines of:

“I’ve been training him every day since he was about eight weeks old.”

As soon as I said it, I thought… that sounds a bit glib.

But it’s also true.

Not because I’ve been out there doing formal sessions every single day for the past three years. More because training doesn’t really switch off.

Dogs are always learning.

They’re constantly working out what works for them. What gets them access, what gets a reaction, what gets them where they want to go.

So even when you’re not “training”, you kind of are.

Which is why I’m always stressing that spending session with a dog trainer is NOT the thing that addresses your dog's behaviour.

They can be extremely helpful, don't get me wrong, but they’re usually just the start.

Most of the change happens in everything that follows. The walks, the routines, the small moments that don’t feel like training at all.

From the dog’s point of view, it all counts.

So the question isn’t really “how long does it take?”

It’s more a case of what’s being repeated successfully, day in, day out.

Because that’s what tends to stick.

05/04/2026

A long video, but an important message.

30/03/2026

Confidence is part and parcel of being a dog trainer - especially when giving tips on social media.

But just because someone sounds like they know what they are doing, doesn't mean that they actually do.

To make things worse, a perfectly good trainer can give competent, even accurate advice for a particular challenge and it can STILL be wrong for you and your dog.

So don't let the algorithm determine your training approach or get fooled by confident sounding video clips that aren't right for you.

If you are struggling with your dog, please reach out to a local professional and don't rely on cookie-cutter advice from social media.

26/03/2026

This is Kas. Not the most ferocious bark in the world but it is on command. It also got a response from a dog in a nearby garden!

by MaligatorMom